Projects

• The APEX (Autism Prenatal Sex Differences) Consortium

  Programme:

  Genetics and Environmental Factors, Hormones, Neuroscience

  APEX is a Cambridge-led research program that explores the links between prenatal biology, sex differences, neurodevelopment and autism.

  

• The Autism-CHIME Project

  Programme:

  Education

  The Autism-CHIME study tests whether improvisational music therapy is helpful for autistic children aged 7-11 years old.

  

• Autism and the Criminal Justice System

  Programme:

  Criminal Justice

  This project investigates if autism is recognised and whether reasonable adjustments are made so that autistic people are treated fairly within the criminal justice system.

  

• Autism and Educational Attainment

  Programme:

  Education

  Building a clearer picture of educational outcomes for autistic people and people with high autistic traits.

  

• Autism and Exceptional Memory

  Programme:

  Neuroscience, Perception and Cognition

  Exploring exceptional memory skills in both autistic and non-autistic people.

  

• The Autism GP Diagnosis Project

  Programme:

  Screening and Diagnosis

  This study will investigate whether GPs can accurately assess autism in a Primary Care setting when compared to specialist clinicians.

  

• Autism and mathematical ability

  Programme:

  Genetics and Environmental Factors, Perception and Cognition

  This study explores links between maths, autism and genes.

  

• Autism, vulnerability, and mental health

  Programme:

  Mental Health

  Understanding the ways in which autistic people may be more exposed to harm, difficulty, or unfair treatment.

  

• The Cambridge Baby Study

  Programme:

  Perception and Cognition

  This study aims to explore whether there are sex differences in newborn social attention, and how these early preferences relate to parental characteristics and future outcomes.

  

• Cambridge Ultrasound Sibling and Parent Study (CUSP) and autism

  Programme:

  Hormones, Neuroscience

  This study uses 3D ultrasound to look at babies' brains in the womb, and then follows their development for 18 months after birth to see if markers found during gestation might predict autism.

  

• The Differences in Sex Development Project 

  Programme:

  Genetics and Environmental Factors, Mental Health, Physical Health

  Investigating mental health, neurodivergence, and cognitive profiles in people with differences in sex development.

  

• Empathy and autism

  Programme:

  Perception and Cognition

  The ARC began work in empathy studying 'theory of mind' (ToM) difficulties in autism, and has since developed a series of tests and teaching methods to aid the development of empathy. We are also studying the "double empathy problem".

  

• EU policy research and autism: AIMS-2-TRIALS

  Programme:

  Mental Health, Physical Health, Screening and Diagnosis

  Ensuring that the diverse voices across the autism community are heard and that the project takes the community’s priorities and concerns seriously.

  

• The Genetics of Autistic Traits Project 

  Programme:

  Genetics and Environmental Factors

  Using genetics to build a more inclusive understanding of autistic traits and health across the population.

  

• The Headaches Project 

  Programme:

  Mental Health, Physical Health

  Exploring whether there is a link between neurodiversity, mental health, and headaches.  

  

• The Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP): AIMS-2-TRIALS

  Programme:

  Neuroscience, Screening and Diagnosis

  The EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) is a long-term study across seven sites in Europe with hundreds of participants, looking at how brain development is different in autistic and typical people.

  

• The Menstrual Health and Neurodiversity Project

  Programme:

  Physical Health

  How do menstrual symptoms vary across the cycle in people with different neurotypes, including autistic and ADHD individuals?

  

• The National Pupil Database and autism

  Programme:

  Education, Employment

  This study explores if autistic teenagers are more likely to become "Not in Education, Employment or Training" (NEET).

  

• The Needs Project

  Programme:

  Education, Interventions

  Aiming to better understand the factors that may lead to educational challenges for some autistic children.

  

• The Parents Project

  Programme:

  Mental Health, Perception and Cognition

  Exploring whether certain developmental outcomes are more common in families with particular thinking styles.

  

• The Suicide Prevention Survey 

  Programme:

  Mental Health

  This project aims to better understand how to prevent suicide in autistic people.